Unpublished Paper
DECAPITATION AS A COUNTERTERRORISM TACTIC.docx
(2016)
Abstract
One of the most contentious issues in the United States counterterrorism efforts against Al Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs or, as they are more commonly known, drones) to seek out and assassinate, using precision guided weapons, the leaders of those terrorist organizations. This paper will address the efficacy of organizational decapitation. First and primarily, is organizational decapitation an effective tool in counterterrorism? Does decapitation adversely affect the operation of a terrorist organization? Secondly, what is the legality of decapitation under United States and International Law? Thirdly, is decapitation morally justifiable under our system of mores? Fourthly, is decapitation ultimately counter-productive? Does it increase the ability of terrorist organizations to recruit new members or garner public sympathy? Does it increase the likelihood that terrorist organizations will retaliate against targeted killings by targeting United States leaders for assassination?
Keywords
- Decapitation,
- Assassination,
- Drones
Disciplines
Publication Date
Winter February 20, 2016
Citation Information
Albert E Poirier. "DECAPITATION AS A COUNTERTERRORISM TACTIC.docx" (2016) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/albert_poirier/6/